Skip to main content
Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Communications
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
262-A-24-6345961
Employer
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Parkhouse building, Kingmoor Park, Carlisle
Town
Carlisle
Salary
£43,742 - £50,056 Per annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
12/07/2024 23:59

Employer heading

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust logo

Communications Manager

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

A rare opportunity has arisen for an experienced communications manager to join our busy and vibrant communications team.  As a senior manager in the team you will be have a key role in the supporting the communication strategy and will oversee the day to day running of the communications team.   The successful postholder will be an experienced communications professional, and will be able to demonstrate a range of communications skills in developing and measuring communication and campaigns on and offline.

It’s an exciting time to join our team as the Trust is making great progress in improving hospital and community health services for the population in north cumbria - and you can be part of telling that story.  We have been very successful in securing capital funds for a number of projects including a new build for our Endoscopy unit at Carlisle and Community Diagnostic Centre in Workington.  We are also about to open a new £40m redevelopment of West Cumberland Hospital and are working with our medical directors to develop the clinical strategy. You’ll be surrounded by an exceptional team of supportive communications colleagues including experts in digital and graphic design to help bring your work to life.

To find out more or to have an informal discussion please contact Rhia Heron, Head of Corporate Communications  at [email protected] or on 07825974114.

Main duties of the job

  • Liaising with external organisations such as the media and local politicians to successfully manage the Trust's reputation 
  • Supporting and participating in the department's senior leadership team - to effectively ensure the department achieves its overall goals, objectives and strategy 
  • Deputising for the Head of Communications when requested to do so 
  • Working closely with Collaboratives and other Trust departments to ensure successful delivery of communications and engagement services for the public, patients, staff members and governors - being a point of specialist expertise on matters relating to comms and engagement 

Working for our organisation

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria.  The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of ‘safe, high quality care every time':

  • Being a clinically led organisation
  • Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
  • A positive patient experience every time
  • A great place to work
  • Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

 

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

 

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL).  Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment. Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

 

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

 

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts.  Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

 

·    Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

·    If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Important Information

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

  • Junk Mail is checked regularly

Disclosure and Barring Service:

On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.

The changes mean that:               

  • youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
  • the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.

If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.

Nacro – Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: [email protected]

Unlock – Tel: 01634 247350, email [email protected] or complete the online form on the Unlock website 

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

 

Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

Flexible working Scheme

Excellent opportunities for development

Competitive NHS Pension scheme

Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problem

These schemes are subject to availability

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Educated to a postgraduate level or equivalent experience
  • IT literacy for web and office based software
  • Experience of digital and visual communications practices
Desirable criteria
  • A communications or marketing based qualification
  • IT skills commensurate with the level of the role
  • Professional membership of a body relevant to engagement, communications or marketing

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Knowledge of communications work environments
  • Knowledge of Information Governance and Data Protection principles
  • Knowledge of public services and the NHS
  • Relevant experience in a role for the NHS or public service setting
  • Specialist experience in delivery and running of communications services
  • Previous project management experience
  • Previous experience of line managing staff
  • Previous experience of evaluating projects and writing high level reports
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of communications and engagement best practice in the NHS

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential criteria
  • Good IT skills
  • Able to learn new technology
  • Organised in administrative processes while being responsive to deadlines
  • Able to work using own initiative, both unsupervised and as part of a team
  • Accuracy in written work
  • Well-developed interpersonal skills
  • Excellent customer service skills
  • Able to write successful communications plans
  • Able to adapt to new situations
  • Able to work independently with minimal supervision
  • Ability to network and use networking skills to successfully implement a project
  • Able to successfully implement policy into practice

Personal circumstances

Essential criteria
  • Flexible approach on working hours
  • Able to travel to sites in across Cumbria
  • Able to attend work-related training courses as required
  • Demonstrates the ability to be flexible in meeting the needs of the service
  • Warm, approachable and empathetic personality

Other requirements

Essential criteria
  • Readiness to adapt to change
  • Will be expected to attend management supervision as per Trust policy
  • Have a duty to maintain personal professional knowledge updates and attend appropriate courses to maintain competence
Desirable criteria
  • Driving licence with access to transport

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerBetter Health - SilverFair Train Silver StandardStep into health

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Kath Hughes
Job title
Head of Communications Service
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
07826892442
Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies